Bangladesh sits on water. Every year, the monsoon sweeps over the country, flooding more than half of it, but below the surface, this land of plenty is in crisis.
Especially in the overpopulated cities, acute poverty, heavily polluting industries and unhealthy, insufficient disposal of waste contribute to highly complex problems in all water-related aspects.
In Dhaka, nearly one third of domestic effluents do not receive any kind of treatment, only 40 percent are covered by a sewerage system, and with its more than 14 million population, growing faster than any other Asian city - 4,2 percent a year - water issues are growing accordingly. Dhaka is expected to be home of 25 million people by 2025, according to the Far Eastern Economic Review.
About 80 percent of Dhaka’s water supply is abstracted from groundwater while four relatively small surface water treatment plants provide the remaining 20. According to the Dhaka Water Supply & Sewerage Authority, however, this can’t go on; groundwater levels have dropped 50 meters over four decades, now with a pace of two to three meters every year. In 2007, the Asian Development Bank estimated that by 2015 Dhaka will suffer from severe supply shortage, if groundwater abstraction is not reduced.
Adding to the crisis, surface water though quite abundant is highly polluted; and as a direct consequence of inadequate water treatment, one of the major rivers in Dhaka, the Buriganga is considered biologically dead.
This story explores the relationship between the people of Dhaka and their water. It examines how people use it, how they interact with it in the context of economic development, industrial expansion and the fast growing urbanization of the megapolis of Dhaka.

Kroo Bay is a 6000 strong slum community in the heart of Freetown, Sierra Leone. People from all walks of life congregate there and the population still increases daily. With poor water access, hardly any toilets, rickety shacks and a transient population, people here face huge social and health problems. But the city centre position makes it perfect for trading and people in Kroo Bay make the most of their difficult surroundings. It may be a slum, but it is also their home and the community is home to several musicians, a member of the city council, a play writer and many community activists.
Drugs, alcohol and rape are common in the community, with 80% of the youth unemployed. Statistically one in four children die before their fifth birthday and one in seven women will die in labour during the course of their life. The life expectancy is on average 35. The slum population has increase dramatically during and after the violent civil war that torn the country apart, and now faces an uncertain future as the city council discuss relocating the people. The residents want to stay, most survive on small scale trading and that's only possible in the centre.

The Pangalanes Canal runs along 600 km of the Eastern coast of Madagascar. It was built by the French in the 40?s to facilitate the transport of goods (mainly minerals and tropical wood) from the interior of the island towards Toamasina?s harbour, the main commercial port in the country.
It once was the only route during the raining season and was a prosperous area. After independence the canal was not maintained.
Today it is used for fishing and transport by the local villagers. Life is tough there. Agriculture and fishing are the main vital activities.

Every year, just before the 7th of January - Christmas day - thousands of pilgrims descend on Lalibela, a small village in the Ethiopian highlands; for in and around Lalibela are 11 rock hewn churches, the most holy place in Ethiopia.
The Churches were carved out of the rock in the 12th century by the legendary King Lalibela.
The Pilgrims come from all wake of life, the poorest and most pious arrive by foot, often walking for 2 or 3 weeks. People sleep out in the open surrounding the churches. The ceremonies last for 3 days and 3 nights, and involve prayers, psalms, dances, music and songs. Priests from all around the country gather for the event.